Microsoft Launches The Nokia Lumia 830, Dual-Sim 730 And 4G 735

Microsoft MSFT +0.14% has today launched the Nokia Lumia 830, its new flagship affordable phone to battle with the latest from Samsung and Apple AAPL +0.59%.

Microsoft staked its claim in the flasghsip market with its new Lumia 830, which will retail at 330 euros. In comparison the Samsung Galaxy S5 sells for 440 euros and the iPhone 5S for 515 euros.

It has the latest quad-core Snapdragon processor, weighs in at 150 grams and measures in at 8.5mm thin. Microsoft describes it as its thinnest and lightest Lumia phone yet.

Microsoft is also throwing in a free subscription to music streaming service Mix Radio for all new Lumia devices, which has over 30 million songs on its books.



Microsoft also announced the dual-sim Lumia 730 and Lumia 735.  The 735, 730 and 830 all have improved front-facing cameras to improve the quality of selfies and the 735 and 730 now will ship with a new ‘selfie app’, which gives you more editing controls for your selfies.

To show off the capabilities of the front facing camera, Microsoft will ship all new Lumia models with a free three month Skype unlimited subscription.

The dual-sim Lumia 730 with retail for 199 euros and the 4G Lumia 735 will sell for 219 euros. Both devices have a 1.2ghz snapdragon processor, 6.7 mega-pixel rear camera and a front-facing wide angle camera. Both devices have the largest aperture in any smartphone yet and both will go on sale in September.

Speaking on the announcement, a carphone wearhouse spokesmen said “Windows Phone is fast becoming a very viable alternative to the other operating systems thanks to the intuitive interface and brilliant integration across other Microsoft products like Outlook, Office and even Xbox, allowing users to seamlessly connect their smartphone to their lives. Microsoft has kept up a commendable launch schedule with a range of devices all with impressive specifications addressing each level of the market.

“The 830, 730 and 735 announced today continue that with features such as a high tech selfie camera on the 730 and 735, wireless charging and the now signature on-trend fashionable colours, all at a reasonable price point look sure to help cement Microsoft smartphones as a trendy lifestyle product as well as a technically dependable one.”

Official Nokia Lumia Exclusive Behind the Scenes: Katy Perry "This Is How We Do"

Go behind the scenes of Katy Perry's new music video "This Is How We Do" featuring the Nokia Lumia 930.

The Nokia Lumia 930 features a 5” Full HD display, 20MP Pureview Camera, Surround Sound recording, and built-in wireless charging. Learn more about the Nokia Lumia 930:http://www.nokia.com/global/products/...

Microsoft opens new site for Lumia beta tests

Microsoft is closing the Nokia Beta Labs site, but users will still be able to test apps under development via the new Lumia Beta Apps site, designed to elicit more feedback and make it easier for users to participate.

The new site is powered by UserVoice, which also hosts the Windows Phone Feature Suggestion box page.

On the Lumia Beta Apps site, users will be able to find information about ongoing trials, instructions on how to install apps, and notes about features and known issues. Each beta has its own feedback forum for interacting with other users and the teams developing the apps, according to Microsoft.

The apps can be downloaded via Microsoft’s Windows Phone store, by clicking on a link or by scanning a QR code. Anyone is welcome to participate, but Microsoft prefers if users have a “relatively new Lumia smartphone”, “are willing to tolerate rough edges” and aren’t afraid to share their opinions, it said.

On Thursday, four apps were available on the Lumia Beta Apps site: the Nokia Camera App, Nokia Chat powered by Yahoo, App Social and Nokia Conference.

That the name of the new site does away with Nokia shouldn’t come as a surprise. Back in April, Stephen Elop, now executive vice president of the Microsoft Devices Group, said during a Q&A on the in-house Conversations website that “Nokia as a brand will not be used for long going forward for smartphones. Work is underway to select the go forward smartphone brand.”

The old betalabs.nokia.com will be closed in the near future, but all links will continue to work and redirect to the new site.

Microsoft Devices unveils cheapest Lumia device for Rs 7,349

Microsoft Devices today its most affordable Lumia smartphone, Lumia 530, in the country for Rs 7,349.

The dual SIM device will be available in stores starting tomorrow.



“The affordable smartphone segment is growing exponentially, driven primarily by youth who are constantly looking out for smartphones with power packed features at affordable prices,” Nokia India Director Marketing Viral Oza said. Nokia India is a subsidiary of Microsoft Mobiles Oy.

Lumia 530 builds on the legacy and success of Lumia 520 and will help Microsoft Devices consolidate its position in this segment further, he added.

Previously, the Lumia 520 was the cheapest smartphone in the company’s Lumia portfolio. The device is currently retailing at about Rs 8,000.

Microsoft Devices also sells affordable smartphones under the Asha range, which was part of Finnish firm Nokia’s handset business. The software giant acquired Nokia’s handset business earlier this year.

The Lumia 530 is powered by Microsoft’s latest Windows 8.1 operating system and 1.2 GHz quadcore processor. The four-inch device features 5MP rear camera, 4GB on-board memory (expandable up to 128GB) and an additional 15GB of free cloud storage on Microsoft OneDrive.

“With its innovative design, the latest Windows Phone 8.1 and signature Lumia experiences, the Lumia 530 3G dual SIM is the perfect device for those who are looking for a distinctive smartphone,” Oza said.

The company has partnered Airtel to offer prepaid subscribers 500 MB of 3G Internet usage free for two months.

Nokia Lumia 530 Dual SIM Support Pre-Booking Starts in India

However, Snapdeal is said to be exclusive online partner to sell the Lumia 530 in India. Strangely, the online store is taking pre-order without any amount of money and even the price of the phone has not been revealed until now, but Nokia will announce the pricing of the device in the coming weeks.



Nokia Lumia 530: Key Specifications 

The latest offering from Nokia comes with a 4-inch display offering a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels and it comes powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor with Adreno 302 GPU coupled with a lesser RAM of 512MB. It runs on Windows Phone 8.1 OS.

The smartphone comes with a 5MP fixed focus rear camera but lacks a front facing shooter. The Lumia 530 houses 4GB of internal memory, which can be expanded up to 128GB via microSD card. Connectivity options include: 3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS / aGPS and what is pretty amazing about the phone is that it is a Dual SIM device. Measuring 11.7 mm thick and weighing 129 grams, the Lumia 530 comes powered by a 1430 mAh battery.

Very much like the other devices that we have seen in the Lumia series, the Lumia 530 also comes in different color variants including Grey, Orange, and White. The Green flavor of the handset is not available as of now, but could arrive in the not-too-distant future too.

Since Lumia 520 is one of the best smartphones that has been sold in India by Nokia, if the price of the device falls under Rs. 8,000, chances of the device hitting the hot selling category in the market will be pretty high.

Nokia Lumia 730 release date, price, specs UK: First photo of 'Superman' Windows Phone leaks

With Nokia having already updated several of its X20- and X25-series handsets with X30- and X35 models, it was only a matter of time before news of the Nokia Lumia 730 (aka Superman) mid-range Windows Phone leaked. Here's where we reveal all the leaked information on the Nokia Lumia 730 release date, price and specs UK. Also see our Nokia Lumia 630 review, Nokia Lumia 635 review and Nokia Lumia 930 review.

The first photo of the Nokia Lumia 730, codenamed 'Superman', comes from Windows Phone Central, and reveals both a new design and new firmware. Also see:Windows 9 and Windows Phone 9 release date, price and features UK 

Nokia Lumia 730 Superman Windows Phone: release date UK 

According to a source close to The Verge, Microsoft's devices chief Stephen Elop announced both the Nokia Lumia 730 and Nokia Lumia 830 during an internal company meeting at the end of July, suggesting that they would launch "shortly". Also see: What's the best Windows Phone 2014.  

Having already announced the 530, 630 and 930, we don't expect to be waiting more than a couple of weeks for the Lumia 730 and 830. 

Nokia Lumia 730 Superman Windows Phone: price UK 

Although Nokia dropped the price of its 6XX-series Windows Phone - we think in a bid to replace the phenomenally successful Lumia 520 with the Lumia 630 rather than Lumia 530 - its pricing for the 530 and 930 fall roughly in line with that of the 520 and 920.  

The Nokia Lumia 720 went on sale for around £250, and we'd be surprised to see the Lumia 730 come in much higher than this. 

Nokia Lumia 730 Superman Windows Phone: specs 

According to the aforementioned source close to The Verge, Stephen Elop described the Nokia Lumia 720 or 'Superman' phone as a "selfie phone", with a 5Mp front camera and 4.7in screen. 

The leaked photo from Windows Phone Central shows a bright green shell and onscreen buttons, as well as evidence of new firmware known as Lumia Debian Red. 

Nokia Lumia 930 review: A beautiful slab of a phone, but is Windows Phone worth it?

Nokia is now completely owned by Microsoft and the newly released Lumia 930 is the first flagship to be launched since the companies wed. So is this the fruit of a joyous honeymoon or have the post-wedding blues already set in?



Once, Nokia was the best phone company in the world. Nobody could match the Finnish manufacturer for build quality, easy-to-use software and striking (if occasionally madcap) design. However, after smartphones arrived, the company stuck too long to its non-smart Symbian software when critics were demanding apps.

Since then it’s dropped from being the market leader to an almost-ran, although its adoption of Microsoft’s Windows Phone has brought growth in recent years, especially when paired with its brilliant hardware.

This expertise is still on display with the Lumia 930, most notably in its signature use of colour. From the front the 930 looks sober and business-like with a black-edged display and aluminium frame, but flip it over and the back is a vibrant splash of smooth polycarbonate. You can opt for black or white, but there are braver choices too, including startling green and orange options.

This is a big phone which doesn’t compete with the Samsung Galaxy S5 for slimness or weight but makes up for it by feeling solid and reliable. It also has the company’s signature extras including a tap-to-wake feature that gets you to the lock screen with having to grasp for the power button – a perfect feature for those of us who constantly check our phones at our desks, and one which Nokia pioneered (although LG and Samsung have both since taken it up). It may be a small touch but it creates a subtly intimate connection to the phone.

Other Nokia specialities include Here Drive+, which offers downloadable satnav maps for when you're missing a data connection (ideal for travellers) and Nokia’s answer to music streaming services, Mix Radio. This Spotify-competitor has been unfairly overlooked so far, offering advert-free listening and unlimited offline mixes (though you have to pay a monthly subscription to skip tracks when streaming).

The five-inch screen is high-resolution: at 441 pixels per inch it matches or exceeds recent triple-A phones from HTC, Sony and Samsung. And, this being Nokia, it also offers Clear Black Display which makes reading easier in bright sunshine. This is an impressive looking display with rich detail and subtle, realistic colour: few screens come close to the sharpness and vividness Nokia is offering and you can even use it with gloves on.

Nokia is also pushing wireless charging with the 930, supplying customers with a charging pad that you can keep by your bedside or at work, letting you simply plonk the phone down to top up the battery rather than fiddling with a cable - handy, yes, but also a necessity as the phone’s quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM eat through a full battery in under 24 hours without any difficulty.

The 930 also offers a fantastic 20-megapixel camera that is unusually strong in low light, although it does unfortunately miss on the high-dynamic-range mode (HDR) that rival manufacturers have used to offer photographs with a high degree of contrast.

Of course, the big difference for most consumers will be the Windows Phone operating system, here updated to the 8.1 version which offers updates including Cortana – Microsoft’s answer to Siri and Google Now that has some extra features (including the ability to set location- and people-based reminders) that give it the edge over the competition, for now. Overall, Windows Phone is a world away from the app-focused systems of Android and iOS and certainly takes some getting used to, but once you’ve set up the home screen to suit your personal needs (everything is displayed in those vivid, square tiles) the experience can be very satisfying.

Unfortunately, there’s still the problem of apps. Windows Phone may have just passed the 300,000 milestone, but there’s still lots of that aren’t available. Sure, they’ve got Instagram now, but there’s still no Dropbox, National Rail Enquiries or, if you must, Snapchat. Key smaller apps are still missing like the to-do list title Clear, or a really good app for Barclays Cycle Hire. If you use the Jawbone Up, Windows Phone isn’t yet for you. The gaps are fewer than before but if there are apps you can’t do without then check availability before you buy.

If they’re there though, and you feel up to learning a new OS (or indeed if this is your first smartphone) then the Lumia 930 is appealing, reliable and solid. It might take a bit of set-up (everything from personalizing the home screen to making sure you’ve got charging pads dotted about) but it’s certainly worth it.

Cortana Comes To Nokia Lumia 1520 Via AT&T's Windows Phone 8.1 Software Update

AT&T has some great news for Nokia Lumia 1520 handset owners. Effectively immediately, you can download and install the Windows Phone 8.1 software update for your phone and start enjoying Cortana, a personal virtual assistant. Unlike the virtual assistants on other platforms, Cortana is the only one that can set reminders by people, as well as by time or location.
There are a lot of changes that go beyond Cortana in Windows Phone 8.1. Users have greater control over personalization -- Live Tiles with multiple sizes and color options let you pin apps, music, and people to your Start Screen so you can see the information you want right from the get-go.

"The Windows Phone 8.1 update also takes full advantage of the Lumia 1520’s Quad-core processor, large, bright 6-inch HD 1080p display, and Nokia Rich Recording suite – four digital microphones and 140 dB recording range provide unparalleled stereo sound for video captured by the Lumia 1520," AT&T says.

Even the Lumia 1520's 20MP PureView sensor gets better with the Windows Phone 8.1 update -- according to AT&T, it adds new features and apps for sharing your images.

Nokia Lumia Android Phone Possibly in the Works from Microsoft

It's no secret that Microsoft's Windows and Windows Phone platforms have far fewer apps than competitors such as Android or iOS, but how does Microsoft plan on catching up? Well, if one leakster is right, then the old saying "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" is about to ring true.

According to well-known tipster @evleaks, Microsoft is planning on releasing a Lumia phone that runs Android. That's it. No other details were given, and there's certainly been no confirmation from either the Microsoft or Nokia camp, so be sure to exercise the proper amount of skepticism. Still, @evleaks does have an admirable track record, so the issue is worth looking into.

Microsoft completed its $7.2 billion acquisition of Nokia earlier this year in April, and the Lumia series has been a Windows-based partnership ever since late 2011. It will be interesting to see whether Microsoft is willing to give up pushing its Windows Phone platform in return for hardware sales, as Android contains and vastly greater fan and app base in the United States. According to an IDC forecast, Android should finish 2014 with around 80 percent of the global smartphone market while Windows will only garner 3 percent.

This isn't the first time a faltering mobile operating system has tried to cling on to Android's success. BlackBerry tried a similar approach with BlackBerry 10 when it allowed Android apps to run on the operating system. Little that did for the once-almighty smartphone OEM.

As Ars Technica points out, what are developers supposed to think? If they can code Android apps that will eventually be available in the Windows marketplace as well, why bother coding for Windows only? It's a real question that Microsoft might not like the answer to.

Still, despite the fact that Android might pose a direct threat to Microsoft's Windows interests, the company has stated that it is open to the possibility. In fact, rumors of Microsoft allowing Android apps to run on Windows platforms began surfacing earlier this year and the company has been supportive of the Nokia X, a Nokia phone that runs Android.


"More users of our applications and services is fantastic. If someone is (using an iPad), I hope they really are using Office and OneDrive and Skype, on that iPad. That is a fantastic Microsoft customer. It's great for Microsoft. The same will be true of Nokia. I genuinely feel that way," Microsoft Executive Vice President of operating systems Terry Myerson said in an interview with ZDNet earlier this year.